Double Coverage - Meet the Team

We have many leather bound books and our offices smell like rich mahogany.

Jon Goddard, Co-Founder and Co-Owner

Co-Founder of Double Coverage. Jon started his American Football life at the University of Worcester, where he founded the Worcester Royals BUAFL team. After graduating from UoW with a degree in Digital Film production Jon has gone on to play and coach at the London Blitz and is now the Head Coach of the Brunel Burners BUAFL team. Jon is a massive New England Patriots fan and also follows the Ohio State Buckeyes in college football.

Richard Penwright, Co-Founder and Co-Owner

Richard is the other Co-Founder of Double Coverage. Cursed with an unnatural skill of quick mathematics, he is the one who is behind the scenes doing all of the boring work for DC. Richard began his playing career in 2007 when he joined the Birmingham Bulls youth, and he was a member of the team who went 8-0 during the 2009 season. After a year out due to injuries, Richard began playing senior ball in 2011.

During his time away from BAFANL, he attended the University of Worcester where he played for the Royals. Richard also has the honour of being the Head Coach of Worcester in their first game, a 40-30 victory over BNU in an associate game.

Often mocked for his thick Wolverhampton accent, Richard let’s his writing and dropping of knowledge bombs do the talking most of the talking. Richard’s goal in life is teach Southerners that Birmingham and Wolverhampton are two separate cities, not the same place.

Thomas Piachaud, Co-Owner and Networking Guru

Having been on board with Double Coverage from the early days, Tom has had the good fortune to be able to interview various NFL and home leagues stars, including breaking the news that Domonique Foxworth was due to retire. A four year Southampton Stags offensive line veteran in BUAFL, on the 2008 College Bowl winning team, with a selection to GB Bulldogs, and another to the GB All-stars game, now founder and player/coach of the Cambridge Pythons. Tom is in his fourth season for the London Warriors, with previous stints at the London Blitz and Southern Sundevils. Also currently on the GB Lions squad.

Nathan Sharrocks, The man who brought the Irish league to the attention of the British public.

Nathan was originally approached by Double Coverage co-owner, Jon Goddard, after his work on successful NFL fan site, NFL Digest.

He has followed American Football since being a young child in the late 90’s and follows the New England Patriots. He has been involved with British American Football for a number of years having previously written for Inside American Football and UK American Sports Fans. Nathan was recently appointed Media Officer at the highly successful Chorley Buccaneers.

He covers BAFANL and NFL but his standout contribution is to DC’s unrivaled IAFL coverage in which he is the head of.

Thomas Snee, Editor.

Based in Nottingham, Tom joined Double Coverage in November 2011 before being named Editor in June 2012. After starting his football career at Huddersfield University with the Hawks, Snee spent time with Doncaster Mustangs and Sheffield Predators before joining Nottingham Caesars in 2011. Like Jon, he's a young coach making his way in the game, having worked as Assistant Coach at Nottingham University for two seasons before leaving in 2012.

Peter Spencer, Britball Writer.

Peter currently works as a Freelance Journalist in Sheffield and has followed the Green Bay Packers since 2004. He has been covering American Football in the North for over 3 years. Having completed a Masters in Sports Journalism in 2011, Peter now works for BBC Radio Sheffield as a Reporter and Broadcast Assistant. The views expressed here are his own and not of any organistation he works for.

Joe Boon, BUAFL Writer.

Joe has been with Double Coverage since the start of 2012 and has been a key writer in the teams coverage of the Southern part of BUAFL. Currently studying at UEA, Joe is also a member of the UEA Pirates and covers the articles on the teams’ website. Unfortunately, Joe also lives in an area where there seems to be no internet and we’ve had to wing this one...

Ric Hennessey, Future Prime Minister and ruler of Middle Earth.

Ric is a straight baller. He’s single handedly curing Africa of AIDS and moronity. He is the only man capable of the higher level of thought required to deliver thoughtributions. He had the original idea for putting upside down question marks in the Spanish language. Hug him or feed him and he will be your friend. (Ed: He’s not crazy, we had him tested...)

Tommy Gibbs, Lead NFL Writer.

New to the DC staff this year, Tommy has followed American Football since he started playing at Leicester Uni in 2006. Now graduated and coaching for the Longhorns, he is looking forward to a second season playing for the Leicester Falcons following a return from injury. A long suffering Chargers fan, his main areas of expertise are the MAC and all things NFL.

Ross Watson, NCAA Guru. Imagine a British Mike Mayock.

After watching the Patriots beat the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, Ross became an avid football fan and affiliated with the Baltimore Ravens due to their defensive play style. After many years of playing 2-on-2s with his friends, Ross got to properly kit up for the first time in 2008 with the Loughborough Aces at corner before moving to safety in his final year. Now living in Sweden, Ross is our college football reporter having followed the college code since 2007 and having a particular interest in recruiting and draft prospects.

Luke Plastow, Britball Writer and critic of hats.

Luke got his first taste of football in the mid 90’s with Madden ’96 on the Mega Drive. He then took up the sport at 18 when he joined the Staffordshire Stallions. After playing in the 2006 All-star game he graduated and retired from playing. Unable to stay away from football he started his own team at BNU and coaches there to this day. He joined Double Coverage this season to combine two of his favourite hobbies, football and writing. His ten years of experience at the college level in the UK means he is always quick to offer an opinion or a write up.

Dana Neale, BUAFL Writer.

New to the writing staff this year, Dana has been following the sport as a New England Patriots fan for more than 12 years. He’s a final year student at the University of Southampton and has played for the Stags since 2010.

John Hill, Britball Writer.

John Hill has the sure grip of a novelty foam hand, the blistering speed of a festival toilet queue and the crisp route running ability of a faulty supermarket trolley. After a brief spell with the Gateshead Senators, he now plays for the Newcastle Blackhawks flag team. He’s been a 49ers fan since the eighties, and herds’ words for a living. Entire civilisations have been lost in his hair.

Simon Love, BUAFL Writer.

One of the newest members of the DC staff, Simon joined us in October. He started following football in 2006, supporting the Baltimore Ravens. He started playing in 2008, playing a season for the Gateshead Senators Youth before going to university at Bath. At the Killer Bees, he has done a bit of everything, including chairing the club and taking statistics. On the field, Simon is an Offensive Lineman and has played everywhere but centre at some point. He is also a member of BAFRA, and can often be heard ranting to himself on the sideline about some rule or other. Naturally, his main BUAFL interests lie in the SWAC.

John Winter, BUAFL Writer.

Having just joined the Double Coverage team for the 2012 BUAFL season, John is one of the latest additions to the team. Having started to follow football in 2005 he eventually picked up the sport in 2010 when he began playing for his local team, the Tamworth Phoenix and made his debut for the senior in 2012.John is studying for a degree in journalism at the University of Worcester where he plays for the Royals and is currently spending a semester abroad studying at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, from which he is likely to return with a strong southern accent.

Chris Stupack, BUAFL Writer.

One of the newest and youngest writers, Chris became seriously interested in American Football a few years ago, and has been a Steelers fan ever since. Playing as centre for Leeds Carnegie, he also covers their website and social media. He has a passion for writing and hopes to do so for years to come.

And...Willy Tee, Some random dude who does predictions every week. Will have a break down if RG3 isn’t fit in time for next season.

Becoming known for his weekly, league-wide BUAFL predictions on the infamous Unofficial Forum, Willy Tee was recruited by Double Coverage in March 2012 to allow them to harness his endless BUAFL wafflage in the service of World Peace.

Willy Tee hails from the South West Atlantic Conference where he has played a number of seasons with the Plymouth Blitz as... "umm, any position that doesn't require coverage. Can't do coverage. At all.", as well as dipping his toe with the various senior teams in Devon and Cornwall.

He has an extensive knowledge of Uni teams across the nation, a cynical wit, and apparently inordinately large amounts of free time...